HUMANE RELIGION

A Christian Ministry for Humans, Animals and the Environment

Humane Religion Magazinefrom Humane Religion

Deliberate Blindness

By Mary T. Hoffman

What do I mean by “deliberate blindness”? I’ll give you one example: We’re
chatting with a person who claims that she “loves animals,” and then she starts
talking about restaurants in our area that she has been to and praises various
meat dishes she enjoys eating there. Then she asks us if we have been there,
etc. When we say that we are vegan, she seems uncomfortable and comes up with
that over-used excuse for resisting positive change: “Everything in moderation!”

Another example of deliberate blindness: People who say, “Don’t tell me; I
don’t want to know,” so they can continue indulging in animal-derived products.

What is so disturbing about these people is the fact that they consider
themselves to be “kind,” when in fact they are “kind” of dishonest! Their
selective compassion and “kill the messenger” mentality plays right into the
hands of the worst industries that exploit animals who cannot speak for
themselves. With their money, the public actively contributes to the horrible
suffering of billions of intelligent animals who feel physical and emotional
pain.

The Church plays a major role in encouraging this deliberate blindness, for
they bring the products of this horrible suffering into their midst, and pretend
it doesn't exist, and even use these products of cruelty for fund raisers.

Even the latest issue of the National Geographic magazine’s feature article
“Inside Animal Minds: Birds, Apes, Dolphins, and a Dog with World-Class
Vocabulary” confirms that there is ever-increasing proof that animals possess
far more intelligence and special abilities than we ever realized. Among the
animal photos and descriptions is a Giant Pacific Octopus who “has distinct
personality, uses tools, recognizes individuals.” The article goes on to state
that “octopuses are known to block their dens with rocks and amuse themselves
shooting water at plastic-bottle targets (the first reported invertebrate play
behavior) and at lab staff. They may even express basic emotions by changing
color…”

There is more than ample proof that animals have a right to live without the
manipulation of hard-hearted humans who keep themselves in a state of deliberate
spiritual blindness.

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